Schoeneweis looked up to Carlton

As a talented left-hander, the Mets' Scott Schoeneweis is in position to appear on plenty of baseball cards before his career is through. But long before Schoeneweis threw his first big-league pitch, he collected the cards of an even more prominent southpaw:

MLBPLAYERS.com: When did you start collecting cards and who were your favorites?

Schoeneweis: I think I was 4, 5, 6. I liked all the Phillies guys. The guy I looked up to was Steve Carlton. I liked to get his cards, along with Tug McGraw's.

I had tons of cards. My dad and I spent a lot of time organizing them. We put them in books. They used to have locker-looking things in which to put the cards. It was a good time with my father. I'd get boxes of cards. I didn't trade with friends. I liked those cards and I kept them all.

MLBPLAYERS.com: Did you first appear on a card in Little League?

Schoeneweis: Yes. I had a Little League card. I think they did that when I was probably 10 or 11.

MLBPLAYERS.com: What was your first pro card?

Schoeneweis: It was a manufactured pose. It was in the Angels farm system, during Spring Training, so I had the regular Anaheim stuff on.

MLBPLAYERS.com: Do you have a favorite Major League card?

Schoeneweis: No. They all look the same, pretty much. I really don't have a favorite. They're all very plain looking.